Ocean Tramp

It has been a busy week or so on Ocean Tramp… currently on board we have a group of keen photographers – some pro, some keen amateurs, all keen to make the most of the Antarctic light .
From the embarkation at King George Island we enjoyed (some less than others) an overnight sail through the Bransfield Strait to Trinity Island where we enjoyed a short landing and first glimpse of Gentoo penguins on their nests. With sunset and the magic hour approaching we headed to Cierva Cove aiming to find some icebergs to capture the reflections and myriad of colours reflecting and refracting in the crystal or textured surfaces. With just a few short hours before the sun rose again, the crew grabbed a quick nap whilst the yacht drifted in a pool of clear water absent of ice. The pre-dawn found us navigating our way through icebergs with the soft pinks intensifying to glowing oranges lighting up the sky. As everyone was about to head to bed a whale was spotted, and so we had a spell snapping tails against the backdrop of icebergs or Brabant Island. The skipper then navigated Ocean Tramp to Murray Harbour where we could anchor and have some well-earned sleep.
Setting off again after lunch, or maybe breakfast as our sleep pattern had been disrupted by the austral summer nights, we continued our march south, heading to Cuverville Island but being distracted by the numerous whale blows and tails being shown on our transit. Arriving just before dusk, we landed on Georges Point at the north of Ronge Island to shoot penguins in the last of the light.
From our overnight anchorage in the Errera Channel we headed west towards the Neumayer Channel and anchored at Port Lockroy. A brief visit to the museum and the gift shop was followed by rolling in snow and guano trying to get the perfect shot of more Gentoo’s with their chicks nestled in the nest.
With an overcast morning we decided to head south to the Lemaire Channel hoping for a break in the clouds for us to see the mountains towering over us. As we approached the Lemaire the cloud was low, but we could see seemingly thick lines of ice blocking our way. Sending up the drone to see if there was a way through, we discovered that the density of the ice was deceptive, with clear leads running towards the narrow channel. With this information we pushed on, meandering our way around brash ice, and gently pushing through some of the denser patches before reaching some open leads we could follow through to the south entrance. Despite the cloud being low and being unable to see the majestic peaks of Booth Island, a few were hoisted up the mast to enjoy the view of the yacht pushing through the ice, and to see the shapes of bergs from a different angle as we passed.
Emerging from the south of the Lemaire, we turned west and entered an area known as the Iceberg Graveyard where large bergs drift in on the current and get trapped in shallows before starting their inevitable melt, in the process often leaving magnificent cathedrals, gothic structures or Dali-esc modern art sculptures. Navigating through this stunning maze, we found our way to an anchorage at the top of Hovgaard Island where we were to spend the night.
Splitting into two teams, some of us returned by zodiac to the Iceberg Graveyard further exploring the ice structures littered around the bay. The rest settled on to a rock beside a colony of Gentoo intermingled with Imperial Shags.
As the magical evening light approached, we untied our shore lines and left our anchorage heading back to the Graveyard on Ocean Tramp, again meandering our way through the icebergs and enjoying the cloudless skies to shoot the glowing icebergs and landscapes lit up by the late evening pink skies.
After a rest period anchored at Port Charcot, we attempted to head further south, first revisiting the graveyard where again some enjoyed the views from 20m up the mast, then heading further south, attempting to make Petermann Island and the hope of seeing an Adelie penguin colony. Unfortunately it wasn’t to be as the ice was too thick to sensibly push through, so instead waited amongst the ice before a sunset cruise returning through the Lemaire Channel.
We decided then to head to the Palmer Basin and Torgersen Island where there is also an Adelie colony which had luckily been “re-opened” the day before as the chicks are of a suitably developed stage to be less affected by human presence. Now we head to Paradise Harbour for a well-deserved night’s sleep!